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Publishers
105 John Street, 1883, 65 Beekman and Home Library from 1890; to 97-101 Reade in 1894; to 52-58 Duane in 1899. Incorporated as A.L. Burt Company 1902-1937. Albert L. Burt died December 28, 1913. The business was continued by his sons Harry, Frederick and Edward and moved "the next year" [1914] to 114-120 East Twenty-third Street. (DLB 49). Burt was traveling leather goods salesman when he conceived idea of publishing books for use as premiums for mail order houses. Cornell Series sold at $.75 (Brief Studies). For a 1914 obituary from Publishers' Weekly, click here.
1891 PW Sep 26: Under list heading "Poetry and the Drama", Lucile, "por. 12mo, cl. $1; hf.cf. $2." 1902 United States Catalog. Lucile. 75c, $1, $1.50, $2. 1928 United States Catalog. Lucile. (Cornell ser.) 75c; (Home lib.) $1.25.
Burt appears to have printed Lucile in only one 12mo format, although frontispieces and illustrations vary. All known copies are 120-125x190-195mm and 318p.
Summary of Burt editions:
Almond Series (half morocco), 1896-1897; Almond Series (cloth), 1900-1902; Century Poets (full limp Grecian morocco), 1908-1910, 1912; Chiswick Series of Poets (cloth), 1908-1910, 1912; Chiswick Series of Poets (limp velvet calf), 1913-1915; Cambridge Series of Poets (cloth), 1903-1906; Cornell Series of 12mos (cloth), 1898-1915; Excelsior 12mos. (cloth), 1897; Globe Series (imitation half morocco), 1896; Grecian Padded Poets, 1910; Harvard Series of Poets (cloth), 1900-1910; Hollywood Padded Poets, 1905-1907; Home Library (cloth), 1891-1938; Laurel Series of Poets (cloth), 1899; Lotus Series of Classics (3/4 levant), 1894; Lotus Series (half morocco), 1898-1900; Magnolia Padded Poets, 1908-1909; Magnolia Series (cloth), 1893-1894; Manhattan 12mos. (cloth), 1900; Mayflower Series (full morocco), 1894; Mayflower Series (extra cloth), 1898-1899; Montauk Library (cloth), 1898-1899; Padded Edition of Poets, 1900-1915; Primrose Series (half morocco), 1896; Primrose Series (extra cloth), 1897, 1900-1907; Stratford Series of Poets (full limp morocco), 1901-1913; World's Best Books (cloth), 1891-1897; World's Best Books (half calf), 1891-1904; Yale Series of Poets (cloth), 1894-1899.
Index by covering material:
CLOTH: Almond Series, 1900-1902; Chiswick Series of Poets, 1908-1910, 1912; Cambridge Series of Poets, 1903-1906; Cornell Series of 12mos, 1898-1915; Excelsior 12mos., 1897; Globe Series (imitation half morocco), 1896; Harvard Series of Poets, 1900-1910; Home Library, 1891-1938; Laurel Series of Poets, 1899; Magnolia Series, 1893-1894; Manhattan 12mos, 1900; Mayflower Series, 1898-1899; Montauk Library, 1898-1899; Primrose Series, 1897, 1900-1907; World's Best Books, 1891-1897; Yale Series of Poets, 1894-1899.
FULL LEATHER: Century Poets (full limp Grecian morocco), 1908-1910, 1912; Chiswick Series of Poets (limp velvet calf), 1913-1915; Mayflower Series (full morocco), 1894; Stratford Series of Poets (full limp morocco), 1901-1913.
PADDED LEATHER: Grecian Padded Poets, 1910; Hollywood Padded Poets, 1905-1907; Magnolia Padded Poets, 1908-1909; Padded Edition of Poets, 1900-1915
HALF LEATHER: Almond Series (half morocco), 1896-1897; Lotus Series of Classics (3/4 levant), 1894; Lotus Series (half morocco), 1898-1900; Primrose Series (half morocco), 1896; World's Best Books (half calf), 1891-1904.
For details of other editions not described or pictured in PTLA, click here.
The Almond Series
1896-1897
PTLA: 45 titles, Half Morocco, Gilt Top, Illustrated. Price
$1.50. Net. (Cut).
1900-1902 PTLA: Full Gold Side and Back. Gilt Tops.
Uniform Binding. Extra Ilustrated. Comprising 32 titles, including
all the popular English and American Poets. Printed from new large
type plates and bound in ornamental cloth, with full gold side and
back stamps. Gilt Tops and extra illustrated. [Quote from
Lowell]. Price, $1.50 per Volume. Net. (Cut).
The Cambridge Series of Poets.
1903-1906
PTLA: Extra gold ornamented covers, full gilt edge, five
page illustrations to each volume. Comprising 16 titles, including
all the popular English and American Poets. Printed from new large
type plates and bound in ornamental cloth, with full gold side and
back stamps. Full Gilt Edge and extra illustrated. [Quote from
Lowell]. Price, $1.50 per Volume. Net... (Cut).
The Century Poets.
1908-1910,
1912 PTLA: Full Limp Grecian Morocco. Initial Titles. Round
Corners. Full Gilt Edges. Profusely illustrated. Each in a box.
Price, $2.50 Per Volume. Net... [cut of binding; Lucile
with five illustrations].
The Chiswick Series of Poets.
1908-1910,
1912 PTLA: Printed on Extra Super Paper and Bound in Extra
Cloth, with Special Ornamental Design and Full Gilt Edge. Price,
$1.50 Per Volume. Net... [cut of binding; Lucile with
five illustrations].
1913
PTLA: Printed on Extra Super Paper, Handsomely Illustrated
and Bound in Full Limp Velvet Calf Leather. Price, $1.50 Per Volume.
Net. [cut of binding].
1914-1915 PTLA: ... Price, $2.00 Per Volume...
The Cornell Series of 12mos. CORNELL SERIES is stamped gold at foot of spine, title and author at top of spine.
1898
PTLA: Uniform Cloth Binding. Gilt Tops. Comprising one
hundred and sixty titles of Standard Works. Printed from large type
on good paper and bound in uniform cloth binding. Price 75 cents per
Copy. Net... (Cut).
1899 PTLA: 165 titles... as 1898.
---- (or later). 52-58 Duane Street, nd. Address with titlepage imprint. University of Idaho (other details not verified); Bethany College (14 pages of ads at rear; other details not verified).
1900 PTLA: 188 titles... as 1899.
1901 PTLA: 202 titles... as 1900.
1902 PTLA: 237 titles... as 1901
1903 PTLA: 300 titles... as 1902.
1904 PTLA: 375 titles... as 1903.
1905-1907 PTLA: 405 titles... as 1904.
1908-1910 PTLA: Uniform cloth binding. Olivine Tops. Comprising four hundred titles... in uniform cloth bindings with OLIVINE TOPS....
----. Dark green cloth, spine gilt. Top edge stained green. Plain endsheets. 14 pages of ads at rear for "A.L. Burt's Catalogue of Books for Young People by Popular Authors, 52-58 Duane Street, New York;" the list is entirely "Books for Boys." BAP B4: Christmas 1928 flyleaf inscription, "This book embodies a thousand sweet memories all down my life from early girlhood, and I am sure you will understand and appreciate its values to the human heart. Ever, with love, Aunt Nilla."
1911-1915 PTLA: ... Comprising three hundred titles... Price 60 Cents per Copy. Net...
The Excelsior 12mos.
1897
PTLA: 100 Titles. Uniform cloth binding. A splendid
selection of One Hundred Titles of Standard Works, embracing Essays,
Poetry, History, Fiction, Travel, etc., by authors of world-wide
reputation. Price 50 cents. Net. (Cut).
The Globe Series
1896
PTLA: 80 volumes, Imitation Half Morocco Bindings, Gilt Top,
Fancy Paper Sides. Price $1.00. Net. (Cut).
Grecian Padded Poets.
1910
PTLA: Handsome, special embossed, padded bindings. Full gilt
edges. Each book in a box. Comprising 18 titles, including the most
popular American and English poets, printed from clear type on good
paper. Price, $1.00 per Volume. Net... (Cut).
The Harvard Series of Poets.
1900
PTLA: Comprising 44 titles, including all the popular
English and American Poets. Printed from new large type plates and
bound in handsome cloth binding. 12mo. [Quote from Carlyle].
Price, 75 cents per Volume. Net... (Cut).
1901-1910 PTLA: 50 titles... as 1900.
Burt's Home Library. Bound in full cloth (typically maroon), spine title in gold and otherwise undecorated. No illustrations except a frontispiece (which varies).
1891 PTLA: Uniform in binding. Cloth, price 75 cents per copy.
1892 PTLA: Cloth, price 75 cents. Net.
1893 PTLA: as 1892.
----. Blue cloth. "A.L. BURT, NEW YORK" in roman sans serif at foot of spine, roll below. Floral endsheets. 11 pages of ads (no address) at rear for "Burt's Home Library" and other series. BAP B3.

1894 PTLA: as 1893. 250 volumes. Uniform cloth binding. (Cut showing simulated half leather).
----. Titlepage: "Burt's Home Library." Maroon cloth stamped blind
to resemble half-leather binding, spine gilt in five panels. Floral
endsheets. 4 pages of ads at rear for "Useful and Practical Books."
BAP B2.
----. Full maroon cloth blind stamped to resemble half leather. "Burts:Home:Library" near foot of spine with a decorative roll below the words. 4p of ads at rear (with 66 Reade as address). Plain top. Floral endsheets. S&EH; University of Delaware (NL 0594659); NYPL (NL 0594625).
----. Spine: THE HOME LIBRARY near center, A.L. BURT NEW YORK at foot, with line below. Maroon cloth, boards unstamped. Plain top and endsheets. 10p of ads (97 Reade) at rear for Burt's Home Library (250 titles), Fireside Series for Girls, etc. BAP B5.
1895 PTLA: 285 volumes. Uniform cloth binding. Price, 75 cents. Net. (Cut as 1894).
1896 PTLA: 310 volumes.... (as 1895).
1897 PTLA: 330 volumes.... (as 1896).
1898
PTLA: Uniform cloth binding. Gilt Tops. Comprising three
hundred and fifty-five titles of standard works, embracing fiction,
essays, poetry, history, travel, etc., selected from the world's best
literature, written by authors of world-wide reputation. Printed from
large type, on good paper, and bound in handsome uniform cloth
binding. Price $1.00 per copy. Net. (Cut).
----.
Frontispiece portrait of Meredith. "Three Birds on a branch"
titlepage. Cloth is a deeper red than following copy. S&EH.
----. "Three birds on a branch" titlepage. Sepia frontispiece by S. Watson Davis. Lightly ribbed maroon cloth. In gold near center of spine: THE HOME LIBRARY; at foot of spine: A.L. BURT COMPANY, N.Y. Teg. Plain endsheets. S&EH: 1934 gift inscription and marginal markings throughout text; University of Virginia NL 0594659; University of Colorado; Rosemont College (binding not verified).
----. "Three birds on a branch" titlepage. Frontispiece black & white on glazed paper signed S. Watson Davis ("At last then -- at last and alone..."). Spine: THE HOME LIBRARY near center, A.L. BURT COMPANY, NEW YORK at foot, with single rule, then double rule below. Maroon cloth, blind rule around both boards, spine titles gold. Teg. Plain endsheets. BAP B5.
----. "Three birds on a branch" titlepage. Brown cloth. Brooklyn College (NL 0594625, details not confirmed)
1899 PTLA: 365 titles... as 1898.
1900 PTLA: 408 titles... as 1899.
1901 PTLA: 412 titles... as 1900.
1902 PTLA: 455 titles... as 1901.
1903 PTLA: 485 titles... as 1902.
1904-1918 PTLA: 500 titles... as 1903.
1919-1927 PTLA: as 1918... 500 titles... price $1.25.
1925 cut:
1928-1931 PTLA: as 1927... 400 titles
1932 PTLA: as 1931... "Comprising a great many titles..."
1933 PTLA: as 1932... Price $1.00. (No cut).
1934-1936 PTLA: as 1933.
1937 PTLA: Burt Books sold to Blue Ribbon Books. "Burt's
Home Library, offering the world's classics at a popular price. The
list embraces essays, fiction, poetry, history, travel, biography,
science by authors of enduring international reputation. Printed in
large type on good paper and bound in handsome cloth. Size 5 1/4 x 7
1/2. Price $1.00 each.
1938 PTLA: as 1937. The last of Lucile!
Known copies not assigned by date: NL 0594659: Harvard, 19-- The Home Library
Hollywood Padded Poets
1905-1907
PTLA: Bound in Handsome, Padded Leather. Full gilt edges,
round corners. Each book in a box. Comprising 30 titles, including
the most popular American and English Poets, printed from large,
clear type, on good paper. Bound in padded leather covers, with
ornamental gold titles. Price, $1.25 per volume. Net... (Cut: appears
identical to 1902 Padded Edition).
The Laurel Series of Poets.
1899
PTLA: Special Ornamental Cover in Gold. Cloth. Gilt Tops.
Extra Illustrated. Price $1.50. Net. (Cut).
The Lotus Series of Classics
1894
PTLA: 3-4 levant, illustrated, gilt tops. Price, per volume,
$4.00. Net. (Cut).
1898-1900
PTLA: 56 Titles. Half Morocco. Gilt Top. Illustrated. Price
$1.50. Net. (Cut).
Magnolia Padded Poets.
1908-1909
PTLA: Bound in Special Embossed Padded Leather. Full Gilt
Edges, Round Corners. Each Book in a Box. Comprising 30 titles,
including the most popular American and English Poets, printed from
large, clear type, on good paper. Bound in Special Embossed Leather
in colors, with gold titles. Price, $1.25 per volume. Net... [cut
of binding].
----.
"Three birds on a branch" titlepage. Half-tone frontispiece portrait.
Padded faux alligator, aeg. Floral endsheets. 14p ads for A.L. Burt's
Publications for Young People gives address of 52-58 Duane Street.
S&EH.
The Magnolia Series
1893-1894
PTLA: Cloth, full gilt, extra illustrated. Price $1.50, net.
(Cut).
The Manhattan 12mos.
1900
PTLA: 110 Volumes. Extra Cloth, Gold Titles. Ornamental Side
Stamps, Gilt Tops. Price, $1.00 per Volume. Net. (Cut).
The Mayflower Series
1894
PTLA: Full morocco, extra illustrated, gilt edges, round
corners. Price $2.50. Net. (Cut).
1898-1899
PTLA: 50 Titles. Extra Cloth. Gilt Top. Extra Illustrated.
Price $1.50. Net. (Cut). For further details of this edition, click here.
The Montauk Library.
1898-1899
PTLA: 100 volumes. Uniform Cloth Binding. Gilt Tops. Price
$1.00 Net. (Cut).
Burt's Padded Edition of Poets
1900
PTLA: Bound in embossed padded leather, full gilt edges and
boxed. Comprising 43 titles, including all the popular English and
American Poets. These volumes are printed from large, clear type, on
extra quality of paper. They are bound in padded or cushioned leather
cover, with handsome embossed design on each, Full Gilt Edges, and
Round Corners. Each volume is boxed separately. 12mo. Price, $1.50
per Volume. Net... (Cut).
1901-1902
PTLA: 49 titles... as 1900.
1902
PTLA: [binding appears identical to 1905 Hollywood
edition].
----[1902-1917]. 52-58 Duane Street. "Three birds on a
branch" titlepage (with address in imprint). Half-tone frontispiece
portrait. Red padded leather with gold flowers on top board. Aeg.
Printed green floral endsheets with gold cross-hatching. Gettysburg
College; Brigham Young.
1903-1906 PTLA: 49 titles.
1907-1914 PTLA: Burt's Padded Poets. [description as
above].
1915-1916 PTLA: [several titles dropped].
1917 PTLA: [Price goes to $2.00].
The Primrose Series
1896
PTLA: 45 titles, Extra Cloth, Gilt Top, Illustrated. Price
$1.50. Net. (Cut).
1897 PTLA: as 1896.
1900
PTLA: Comprising 44 titles, including all the popular
English and American Poets. Printed from new large type plates and
bound with Gilt Tops in handsome cloth binding. 12mo. [Quote from
Emerson]. Price, $1.00 per Volume. Net... (Cut).
1901-1903 PTLA: 50 titles... as 1900.
1904-1907 PTLA: 52 titles... as 1900.
----. [1900-1907]. Green cloth stamped blind and gold.
Teg. Plain endsheets, frontispiece is half-tone portrait. "Three
birds" titlepage. BAP.
The Stratford Series of Poets
1901-1902
PTLA: Full limp morocco. Round corners. Full Gilt Edges.
Extra illustrated. Comprising 18 authors, carefully printed on fine
paper from new electrotype plates, bound in full limp morocco, with
round corners and full gilt edges, with handsome gold designs on
cover and extra illustrated. Each volume boxed separately. [Quote
from Carlyle]. Price, $2.00 per Volume. Net... (Cut).
1903-1904
PTLA: Full limp morocco. Inlaid initial. Round corners. Full
gilt edges. Extra illustrated. Price, $2.00 per Volume. Net...
(Cut).
1905
PTLA: Full limp morocco. Ornamental inlaid covrs. Round
corners. Full gilt edges. Five page illustrations to each volume.
Price, $2.00 per Volume. Net... (Cut; differs from 1904).
1906-1913 PTLA: The New Stratford Poets. [described as above].
1908
PTLA:
Burt's Library of the World's Best
Books. All are 12mos, about 125-130x190- 200mm, 218p.
Titlepage has "Burt's Library of the World's Best Books" in a gothic
face at top, same text in a medallion lower on page. Medallion is
stamped gold on spine, blind on top board.
1891
PTLA: A series which will include the standard works of the
world's literature. The books will be neatly and durably bound,
printed on good paper, in large, clear type, uniform in all respects
with this volume. The text will be in every case thoroughly reliable
and unabridged, hence meeting equally the needs of the student and
general reader. Indexes, biographical sketches and explanatory notes
will be given where these are likely to prove of value and interest.
All who have at heart the best interest of literature, and would
further the spread of a taste for the world's classics, will welcome
the appearance of this series, which will place a complete, rich and
uniform library of the highest character within the reach of all...
Uniform in price, size and binding. Cloth, gilt top, price $1.00.
Also offered in half calf, marbled, $2.00. (Cut of series logo).
1892 PTLA: Cloth, gilt top, price $1.00. Half calf, $1.50.
----. nd. Line drawing frontispiece portrait. Brown cloth. Nine
pages of ads at rear (address 66 Reade), but Lucile is *not*
listed. Wabash College: inscribed June 1892.
1893
PTLA: ... Half calf, $2.00. (Cut show series logo at foot of
spine and centered on top board).
1894
PTLA: as 1893.
Half calf
separately listed, with its own cut.
----. Line
drawing frontispiece portrait. Half calf, marbled paper sides (and
endsheets). Teg. S&EH: inscribed January 1, '95.
1895 PTLA: as 1894. Half calf not mentioned.
1896
PTLA: as 1893; half calf listed separately.
1897 PTLA: as 1896.
---- (or earlier). nd. Line drawing frontispiece portrait. Olive gray cloth. Teg. Floral endsheets. Nine pages of ads (address 66 Reade) at rear for "Burt's Library of the World's Best Books" (including Lucile, described thus: "In the character of Lucile we have the author's highest and purest embodiment of intellect and virtue. First subduing her own nature, she is content to spend all the treasures of her life and genius in offices of well-doing, and from the heart of a woman thoroughly true and good, and ever ready for self-sacrifice, she finally diffuses health and strength into the hearts of all around her."). BAP B1; University of Illinois (cloth color not verified); Stanford (cloth color not verified).
1898-1899
PTLA: only half calf series offered.
1900
PTLA: Burt's Half-Calf Series of the Poets. Half Calf.
Illustrated. Comprising 42 titles, including all the popular English
and American poets. These volumes are printed from large, clear type,
on extra quality of paper. They are bound in half calf, gold-veined
paper sides, and Gilt Tops. Illustrated. 12mo. (Quote from Holmes:
Poets are never young in one sense. Their delicate ear hears the far
off whispers of eternity, which coarser souls must travel towards for
scores of years before their dull sense is touched by them. A
moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience.). Price
$2.00 per volume. Net. (New Cut).
1901-1902 PTLA: as 1900.
1903
PTLA: Half Calf Series of the World's Best Books. A series
of standard works, written by the most celebrated authors, bound in
half calf, gold veined side paper, with gilt tops. Half Calf. Gilt
Tops. Price, $2.00. Net. (Cut as 1899).
1904 PTLA: ... Half Calf, Gilt Tops; Price $2.00. Net.
(Cut as 1899).
The Yale Series of Poets
1894-1896
PTLA: Uniform cloth binding. Price $1.00. Net. (Cut).
1897-1899 PTLA: Uniform cloth binding, Gilt Top. Price
$1.00. Net. (Cut).
[1899].
----. 125x197mm, 318p. "Three birds on a branch" titlepage, half-tone
frontispiece. Full red linen cloth, spine title gold with floral roll
at top; A.L. BURT at foot of spine, incorporated in floral roll.
Plain endsheets. 14p ads for A.L. Burt's Publications for Young
People gives address of 52-58 Duane Street. S&EH.